Inessentials

Jeff Zucker, et al,

I am writing because I am concerned with the way you are slowly destroying your once-storied network. I am very happy that you’ve given life to Friday Night Lights beyond what the ratings would typically justify. And you have green-lit some good shows, like Andy Barker, P.I. (even though it got yanked after just a few episodes). What concerns me is some of the really stupid choices you have made, some of which could have been easily avoided.

Case #1: You are the proud owners of 30 Rock, the funniest show on television that isn’t a fake news show on Comedy Central. Everyone was expecting it to do well at the Emmys, since it received 17 nominations, the most of any series and it is a critical favorite. Unsurprisingly, it was the only show on the big-four networks to do well at the Emmys. It took home multiple awards, including two for star Tina Fey. And how did you capitalize on this? Did you have the Season 2 DVD ready for sale that Tuesday? Was the third season ready to go? Nope. The increased attention you won was squandered on an Oct. 7 and Oct. 30 roll-out, respectively. Compare that to The Office, which debuted on DVD 10 days before the next season began, the perfect timing to remind fans why they love the show and potentially attract new viewers. No wonder 30 Rock is not among the 100 most watched shows on TV.

Case #2: Saturday Night Live has more positive buzz than it’s managed to wrangle up in years, largely because this political season is so closely watched and SNL has a great political track record (largely thanks to long-time writer James Downey). However, executive producer Lorne Michaels and head writer Seth Meyers have cut the heart out of comedy by promising to be even-handed in its political humor this year. It is impossible for comedy to work if it is attempting to be equal in its portrayals. Comedy needs to go where the jokes lead. At its best, political jokes undermine all sides. (As a great case, the aforementioned 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon is perfect at espousing liberal values while undermining them hilariously, like when she says there’s an 80% chance she’ll tell her friends she’s voting for Barack Obama but secretly votes for John McCain, or when she thinks her friendly, brown-skinned neighbors are terrorists.) I’m perfectly happy for your writers to be aware of their political tendencies, because that awareness can make for great jokes from all directions. But to give up on the anarchist tendencies of humor, which knocks the legs out from under everyone (especially those in power) in favor of balance is deeply misguided.

Case #3: Jay Leno’s contract runs up in 2009, and Conan O’Brien has already been picked to replace Leno as host of The Tonight Show. With Leno as host, The Tonight Show is dominating in the ratings. While I personally think Leno is not very funny, he is still wildly popular. Everyone is now fighting over who will get Leno. You, NBC, have so botched the situation that you make the Favre-Packers melodrama look like one of the teeny-bopper soap operas that you seem unable to produce for your network. Now there’s almost no chance he will stay on NBC. What you should have done was offer Leno the chance to reclaim Saturday night as television night by giving him a two-hour variety show like The Tonight Show crossed with Sabado Gigante. The focus would be on Leno’s strengths: man-on-the-street interviews and softball celebrity joshing. Leno would have a late-career boost, like Groucho Marx on You Bet Your Life. (If Jeff Foxworthy and Howie Mandell can do it, surely Leno can.) The networks have given up on Saturday nights, and you would have a chance to make television a seven-night-a-week destination again with the power of Leno. Sadly, it is probably too late for you.

I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

A Television Viewer (Male, 18-34)